Bactericidal and Biocorrosion Protection Performance of D-tyrosine Enhanced Tetrahydroxymethyl Phosphonium Sulfate for AH36 Shipbuilding Steel

doi:10.11902/1005.4537.2025.253

Journal of Chinese Society for Corrosion and protection

2026, Vol. 46

Issue (4): 1238-1248 DOI: 10.11902/1005.4537.2025.253

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Bactericidal and Biocorrosion Protection Performance of D-tyrosine Enhanced Tetrahydroxymethyl Phosphonium Sulfate for AH36 Shipbuilding Steel

LIN Li¹, BI Shihao², FU Lei²^,³(

), JIAN Ke², ZHANG Qian²

^1.Sichuan University of Science and Engineering, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zigong 643000, China
^2.Sichuan University of Science and Engineering, School of Mechanical Engineering, Yibin 644000, China
^3.Failure Mechanics and Engineering Disaster Prevention Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China

Cite this article:

LIN Li, BI Shihao, FU Lei, JIAN Ke, ZHANG Qian. Bactericidal and Biocorrosion Protection Performance of D-tyrosine Enhanced Tetrahydroxymethyl Phosphonium Sulfate for AH36 Shipbuilding Steel. Journal of Chinese Society for Corrosion and protection, 2026, 46(4): 1238-1248.

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Abstract

Marine microbial corrosion on AH36 shipbuilding steel surface has significant impact on the safe operation of ships, making the prevention of such corrosion particularly important. In this study, the corrosion behavior of AH36 shipbuilding steel induced by sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB), a major marine corrosive microorganism was investigated in SRB containing solution by means of corrosion weight-loss measurements, microstructural analysis, and electrochemical monitoring. Then the biocidal and anticorrosion performance of different dosage of the D-tyrosine enhanced tetrakis (hydroxymethyl)phosphonium sulfate (THPS) was also evaluated for the AH36 shipbuilding steel in SRB containing solution. Results indicate that a dosage of 40 mg/L THPS alone exhibited limited inhibition for SRB activity and metabolism, while 100 mg/L THPS demonstrated better inhibitory performance. The combination of 40 mg/L THPS with 1 mg/L D-tyrosine exhibited the most effective inhibition effect, achieving a corrosion inhibition efficiency of 75.68% relative to the bare SRB containing solution, with features of the mildest corrosion defects on the substrate, the lowest sulfur content in corrosion products, and no detectable FeS formation. Electrochemical tests further revealed that the low-frequency impedance modulus and polarization resistance of all three bactericidal containing solutions with SRB, i.e. 40 mg/L THPS, 100 mg/L THPS and 40 mg/L THPS + 1 mg/L D -tyrosine were higher than those observed in the bare SRB solution without addition of bactericidal. Among them, the addition of the combination 40 mg/L THPS + 1 mg/L D -tyrosine exhibited the lowest corrosion current density, corresponding to a corrosion inhibition efficiency of 87.97% relative to the bare SRB solution.

Key words: AH36 shipbuilding steel D-tyrosine THPS electrochemical testing corrosion inhibition

Received: 07 August 2025 32134.14.1005.4537.2025.253

ZTFLH:

TB304

Fund: Open Project Fund of Sichuan Key Laboratory of Disaster Mechanics and Engineering Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (Sichuan University)(FMEDP202109);Fund of Regional Innovation Cooperation Project of Sichuan Province(2024YFHZ0073);Special Fund Project of Sichuan University-Zigong City School-Local Cooperation(2024CDZG-1);Fund of Research Innovation Team Program of Sichuan University of Science and Chemical Technology(SUSE652A015)

Corresponding Authors: FU Lei, E-mail: kunmingfulei@126.com

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https://www.jcscp.org/EN/10.11902/1005.4537.2025.253 OR https://www.jcscp.org/EN/Y2026/V46/I4/1238

Fig.?1 Growth of SRB cultures in different systems

Fig.?2 Growth curves of SRB in different systems

Fig.?3 Variation of SO $4 2 -$ concentration in different systems

Fig.?4 pH variation in different systems

Fig.?5 Corrosion rate of AH36 shipbuilding steel in sterile and SRB-inoculated system (a), 40 mg/L, 100 mg/L THPS and combined system (b)

Fig.6 Morphologies of corrosion products on substrate surface of polished sample without immersion (a), and in sterile (b), SRB-inoculated (c) system, 40 mg/L THPS (d), 100 mg/L THPS (e) and combined (f) system

Fig.7 XRD patterns of corrosion products in sterile (a), SRB-inoculated (b), 40 mg/L (c) and 100 mg/L (d) THPS, and combined (e) system

Fig.8 Corrosion morphologies of AH36 shipbuilding steel surface of sample without immersion (a), and in sterile (b), SRB-inoculated (c) system, 40 mg/L THPS (d), 100 mg/L THPS (e) and combined (f) system

Fig.9 EIS spectra of AH36 shipbuilding steel in 40  mg/L (a-c) and 100 mg/L (d-f) THPS system, and combined system (g-i)

Fig.10 EIS spectra of AH36 shipbuilding steel in sterile (a-c) and SRB induced (d-f) system

Fig.?11 Equivalent circuit model fitting EIS analysis

Table 1 Fitting parameters of equivalent circuit components

Fig.?12 Potentiodynamic polarization curves of AH36 shipbuilding steel in five systems

Table 2 Fitted parameters obtained from polarization curves

Fig.?13 Schematic diagram of the corrosion inhibition mechanism of bactericide for AH36 shipbuilding steel: (a) SRB system without bactericide, (b) THPS system, (c) combined system of THPS + D-tyrosine

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